


Owner's Handbook to The Dulcis Domus Cafe

by dimasalngs



Series: The Dulcis Domus Cafe [1]
Category: Original Work, Philippine Mythology - Fandom
Genre: Coffee Shops, Filipino, Magical Realism, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Other, Philippine Mythological Beings, Supernatural Elements, but it's nothing explicit, some mentions of blood and gore, taglish
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-06
Updated: 2019-08-06
Packaged: 2020-08-10 04:21:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20129269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dimasalngs/pseuds/dimasalngs
Summary: Welcome to The Dulcis Domus Cafe, your sweet home in bustling Bagtas!





	Owner's Handbook to The Dulcis Domus Cafe

**Author's Note:**

> my first ever work for this universe! i've had it for such a long time actually, and it went through so many changes, but i'm happy with how it is in this piece (and i have my college org to thank for that, hehe)
> 
> there are lots of Filipino words in this one. mabuhay, fellow Filipinos! if by chance someone who doesn't understand Filipino actually reads this, then Google Translate is sufficient to translate some of the words (or you can just ask me)

_Welcome to the Dulcis Domus Café, your sweet home in bustling Bagtas!_

Dear Arlissa,

It’s been too long, hasn’t it?

There’s a lot to cover about the years we spent apart, pero pasensya na; this letter isn’t really for us to catch up. As much as I would love to hold you over a warm cup of coffee and talk about the past few years, I can’t. I hope you can forgive me for leaving that in the dark for now.

But I’m not so cruel an ate to leave you with absolutely nothing to go on in this strange, new place! You’re inheriting all of my and Pang’s properties in this city, and that includes our life’s work in Bagtas, the very place you’re standing in right now, the Dulcis Domus Café.

Being the owner of the Dulcis Domus Café is a big responsibility, especially as a seemingly lone human entering a whole new (and maybe scary) kind of world. It definitely was a challenge for me, and I had Pang. But as you read this, you’ll realize that you’re not as alone as you think! Aside from the other beings you’ll meet during your time as the café’s owner, you’ll also always have this — my guidance in a letter, a handbook of sorts! It has (nearly) everything you need to know about running the café as a human, from our café policies, to dealing with customers you aren’t used to seeing in the urban cities. I won’t go so much into the technical details of running a business, but rather the things that are unique to the Dulcis Domus Café.

I’ll be getting a bit formal and official in the next few parts of the letter to help you understand better; it’s even divided by section to make it easy to browse, pero siyempre naman, I have a lot of side comments here too!

Read it; take it all in, and prepare for your new journey as the official owner of the Dulcis Domus Café!

**A Brief History**

Okay, so my earlier statement was sort of a lie. Discussing the history of the café and discussing the events of the years after I left are almost the same thing, but also, not quite.

The story of the Dulcis Domus Café starts with me and Pang, your favorite couple! I know that they kept this from you, but even if you loved us, the rest of our family certainly did not. Shunned by our human Ayuyang family, we settled in Bagtas where we were welcomed with open arms. Inspired by the peace of our new home, we took on the hobbies of coffeemaking, baking, and cooking (well, Pang did. As you know, I already knew how!), selling our products every so often sa palengke.

As Bagtas got larger and welcomed more beings and situations of all kinds, we had the idea of turning our hobby into a full-time business, putting up a small café connected to our home — the first ever Dulcis Domus Café. We founded the café with the idea of providing the beings of Bagtas a safe space where we could give what they needed. Time passed, and our café grew more and more popular for its stellar service, magical atmosphere, and enchanting food! It sounds like a very marketing thing to say, pero swear ko talaga na totoo yan.

From our little, niche corner of the city, the Dulcis Domus Café eventually became a big part of everyday life in Bagtas.

**Café Policies**

Now, we go into some heavier aspects of running the café, namely the Dulcis Domus Café policies. To keep the café alive and well, there are three café policies in place that must be strictly observed not only by you, but by the employees and customers as well.

_Information Privacy Policy_

As the sole heir of the Dulcis Domus Café, all of its affairs and matters are entrusted to you. In line with that, you, and those others trusted with this as well, are trusted to keep all of its information safe and private. This is not only for the protection of the café and its employees, but for your own protection as well.

The private information of the café includes but is not limited to the following:

  * Business records (i.e. sales records, ingredients inventory, etc.)
  * Employee information (i.e. personal data, health records, criminal records, etc.)
  * Recipes (I’ll talk more about this in _Customers_)
  * Customer information received through surveys and other forms of official feedback

These matters may not be discussed with anyone beyond the café. If you must, do so carefully, and with strong and proper protection —legal, physical, and magical-spiritual. If Pang preferred having magical contracts and safeguards in place, I prefer classic intimidation and threat of physical harm. However, what method you go for is up to you!

_Anti-Discriminatory Policy_

At the Dulcis Domus Café, diversity is appreciated and celebrated! Respecting the lives and cultures of others is the only way to work in the café, and to live in Bagtas.

I know that as a human, it’ll be a really strange adjusting to life here, and adjusting to working for the different kinds of beings you’ll encounter. You’re already an open-minded human, but I’m telling you to open your mind and heart even more. There’ll be things you’ll encounter that, at first glance, will not be pleasant for you, but you’ll find that as you meet more beings and get to know them, ang saya naman talaga ang supernatural community!

In line with our mission of providing a safe café space for everyone, harassment and discrimination at the Dulcis Domus Café is strictly forbidden. The café respects its employees and customers of different races, genders, sexualities, customs, physical and magical ability, size, status with the local government and human government, occupations, religions, endangerment status, languages, and other unmentioned aspects that may be important to their identities and cultures.

As the owner, you must be assertive in promoting this Anti-Discriminatory Policy among the employees and customers, and in yourself. If an employee or a customer violates this policy, you must deal with the situation accordingly. The shelves of the café have various reference books of pagkukulam and other magic with clear instructions for casting that even beginners such as yourself can follow!

A tip: use more inclusive language. As you’ve noticed, beings has been my word of choice in referring to the citizens and inhabitants of Bagtas. Do the same in that aspect, and also be aware of how else you refer to other things and concepts.

_No Violence Policy_

Customers must always be able to enjoy a calm and safe café experience, and so violence is absolutely prohibited within the boundaries of the café. While the land has its own ways of enforcing this policy, you are encouraged to promote it actively to the café employees and customers through constant reminders, and by being a good example!

If you need to deal with a violation of the café policies in a way that may be violent (nangyayari talaga yan), don’t worry about how the café will feel towards you afterwards. If the violence is truly for the better protection of the Dulcis Domus Café and its employees and customers, the café will understand, and will even assist you in your actions.

(Feel ko na you’d be really good with this policy; remember how you’d treat your childhood playmates? Channel that same energy in telling beings to stop fighting… but don’t cry this time.)

**Your Rights and Responsibilities as the Owner**

Though strong and bound to the land, the policies don’t work unless the beings inside the café do, and that goes double for you — the owner of the café! You have special power over certain workings of the café, but you should know that this power must always be used wisely to guide the café in the right direction. (Yes, yung Spider-man saying.)

As the owner, you are in charge of the following:

_Employment_

This is a bit obvious, but it’s good to detail anyway!

In addition to those previously hired by me and Pang, you may hire more employees as you deem fit. It is recommended to do a strict screening of employees to make sure that they can be trusted with a position within the café. In screening, you can have a personal interview, a thorough background check, social media stalking, a live demonstration of useful skills (ask them to go all out; helpful siya, at nakatutuwa rin!), and a compatibility test with the magic atmosphere of the café land.

You may also terminate employees if they are found to be in violation of the café policies. Depending on the case, termination may mean whatever you need it to mean. There is a regular termination ritual for those employees who did not commit an infraction but simply wish to quit for other reasons, but the ritual is too kind for those who go against café policies and endanger the café.

You’re a nice and kind person, but when the time comes that you have to protect yourself and the café, please, do whatever you can.

_Café Rules_

You may create new rules for the Dulcis Domus Café. In doing so, however, be sure to practice a proper democracy, and involve the employees in the decision-making process — we’ve all had enough of dictatorship right now. Rules must always benefit the café, its employees, customers, and should not be made carelessly and without purpose. The rules must also be guided by the three café policies mentioned earlier!

Remember that the policies and rules gain more strength the more they are enforced and practiced. Like I said kanina, they don’t work unless you do!

_Café Development_

You are not only entrusted to oversee the café, but also to continue its growth and development! You being the new owner means new opportunities for the café to grow and change for the better. In line with this, you are encourage to make beneficial changes to the café, such as adding to the menu, redecorating, sourcing suppliers, and more.

Actually, Pang and I have created a list of our suggested improvements to the café — things that we wanted to work on, pero di kinaya; our time got cut short. In contrast, you have time, safety, and support to work on these projects!

  * Café website and social media
  * Actually, kahit anong advertisement for the café in the city
  * Connecting with the Bagtas artist community (we had the idea of holding workshops in the café!)
  * Special café events

Employee and customer opinions are very important in this aspect, so you are recommended to have a feedback system for them. Make sure it is as accessible as possible, providing various avenues for beings to send their comments. Existing feedback methods include physical surveys, and Google Forms (A new thing in the café! Customers, especially the figuratively and literally ancient beings, may need assistance for this).

**Working in the Café**

Self-explanatory! The Dulcis Domus Café works just like any other café business, only better catered to its unique pool of customers.

_Café Hours_

The Dulcis Domus Café is open all days of the week, from 9:00AM to 3:00AM. It is closed on days with a new moon, and open for 24 hours on days with a full moon. On local and national holidays, the café is open from 9:00PM to 3:00AM. Time to adjust your sleeping schedule. Masasanay ka.

Full-time employee hours is 40 hours per week. Part-time employee hours is 20 hours per week. As the owner, your employee hours are all the hours of your life, as being the owner of the Dulcis Domus Café is a responsibility you carry around with you all the time! (Though be very clear that you can only render café service during actual business hours.)

_The Menu_

The official café drink menu consists of the following: coffee, tea, and non-caffeinated drinks. The café food menu includes: baked goods, sandwiches, soups, and all-day breakfasts. The recipe book of the café has the specific ingredients and details of each menu item, made by Pang and yours truly. Be sure to clearly communicate these to the customers to avoid misunderstandings and causing harm. Be especially wary of anything that may cause an allergic reaction, deep cultural offense, and magical field clashing resulting in the demise of the entire district.

Customers may bring their own ingredients to use for special drinks, or choose from the café’s own inventory of special ingredients. These can be anything from traditional herbs to serpent blood and essence; there is a list of the café’s unique consumables behind the counter for your and the customer’s reference. Do not be afraid to clarify with the customer how they want the ingredient to be used!

If the customer really, really wants a special ingredient that the café doesn’t have, ask them for their background with the ingredient and thorough information about the ingredient itself. If everything seems safe and sane, put in an order for it, or go out and get it yourself. The background check is very important; don’t overlook it.

_Safety and Sanitation_

Proper food safety and sanitation must always be followed while working in the Dulcis Domus Café. Though sinasabi sa mga urban cities na marumi ang mga supernatural beings, hindi totoo yan. They are actually extremely aware of safety and sanitation, even as they devour gallons of blood, because nga of the judgment of humans, and their own cultural practices.

Keep the café and its utilities clean, and keep an eye out for negative energies and sumpa festering in the café. Though the kalumpang of the land helps in warding these off, it’s old, and if our family taught us anything, it’s that it’s rude to make elders do a lot of work. It is recommended that you have the café’s witch do a regular cleansing of the café instead, and have all employees participate in the ceremony. (Invite customers too! Pero konti lang.)

As a food business, the café is subject to regular physical and magical inspection by the local healer and government for any violations of safety and sanitation. Though the café is very up to date in food safety and sanitation technologies, licenses, and practice, it’s good din to be very aware, and to check everything up every once in a while.

**The Beings of the Café**

_The Employees_

As mentioned kanina, the Dulcis Domus Café already has some employees, and now, you are their new boss. They already know who you are, but do you know who they are? To lead and serve them well, you must be aware of their rights, cultures, and personalities, and remember that they are as big a part of the café as you!

The following details the rights of the employees as they work for the Dulcis Domus Café:

Employees are employed at will, and may terminate their employment at any time. This case of employee termination, in contrast with the one discussed earlier, requires the regular employee termination process to be followed. This involves a burning of their employee contract, and then burying the ashes in offering to the kalumpang. The process ensures that the employee’s bond with the café is truly severed and gone, meaning that they are no longer spiritually tied to the Dulcis Domus Café, and when they try to remember any of its private information, they will find the memories slipping just out of their reach. Everyone involved is safe and happy!

Employees are compensated for their work. Currently, they are compensated in Philippine Pesos every Friday. Base salary is P80.00 per hour, with additions for bonuses and overtime as you see fit. Employees also may receive tips from the customers! These, however, may not be in the form of pesos, as customers may give anything of worldly, magical-spiritual, and sociocultural value as a tip. Do not worry about manually filtering the tip box for things with no such value, or things that are potentially harmful; any such trash that customers may try to leave as a tip turns the tip box into a monster trying to bite their limb off. Ang galing ni Pang, di ba?

Employees may be granted a leave for reasons such as vacation, health, family, bereavement, and holidays. A note is required at least three days in advance unless it is an emergency. Leave may be from three days to three months, but if an employee adheres to a different calendar, work out leave policy that fits with their cycle. That’s why we have so many calendars both in the café and upstairs in the house. Make good use of them!

Employees have breaks during their work hours. They may have break times not exceeding 30 minutes, and major meal times not exceeding two hours. This is to ensure that they are well-rested, and at their best condition while working! If an employee has very specific feeding habits and patterns that may not fit within the typical break time, respect that and work out a specific schedule together.

Employees are covered by the café’s insurance and health plan. The café is in a partnership with the local healer to handle the health concerns of the employees and customers such as allergic reactions, diseases (both modern and ancient), and various medical sumpa. Don’t be afraid to approach her for any questions regarding these! But to prevent these in the first place, stay up to date with the employee health records. Common allergies in the café’s ingredients include peanuts, soy, various nuts, flour (wheat, almond, and bone), various plant and body parts (can be poisonous to certain beings, including humans), and healthy blood from different creatures.

In addition to the beings literally employed by the café, my and Pang’s cat Almond is an unofficial employee! Don’t worry about his presence as a health and safety violation, as he technically is not corporeal, and so does not exist on this physical plane. Despite that, he is very helpful not only as a powerful magical familiar with divine guidance, but also as a café mascot!

Huwag kang mahihiya; strengthen your bonds with the employees! Even if you are their boss, you have a lot to learn from them about the café and the city — trust me. Don’t be afraid to have anything clarified by a certain employee; sinigurado ko na they won’t judge you for your confusion and curiosity.

_The Customers_

The customers of the café are mostly the diverse citizens and inhabitants of Bagtas, with a few tourists. These beings come from all walks of life, from the enchanted bahay-gubat life of Makiling, to regular urban city life, to strange urban city life. It sounds so typical of any business to say this, pero totoo naman; the Dulcis Domus Café exists to give these customers a second home in the café with its safe environment and stellar service! As their host, you must show them respect and care, except for when they are in violation of the café policies.

In serving the customers, the Dulcis Domus Café aims to embody the following values:

  1. Diligence – Every customer goes into the café looking for something, and the café must always provide that something. Do your very best to interpret and understand what our customers need, even when they order in foreign and eldritch languages.
  2. Fortitude – Strange sights cannot deter your drive to serve the customers. You will see and handle items you would never see in a regular human city; it is unavoidable. Steel your nerves, and smile through it all!
  3. Hospitality – Everyone deserves to be served well at the café. Even if you are sure that the national government is hunting down a particular customer, that is their own business. Your business is making sure they walk out of the Dulcis Domus Café happy and satisfied!
  4. Teamwork – Here, we all work together to make the café truly a home for everyone. Work and coordinate with your team; you all already have one thing in common: the drive to serve and live out the café’s mission.

The Dulcis Domus Café was founded for these customers, and so you must continue its legacy by always delivering its stellar service to them!

And that concludes all the information I can give you about running the café! I know it’s a lot, but I wouldn’t have chosen you as our heir if I wasn’t sure that you could do it.

One last thing to know in running the café: Always keep in mind the meaning of its name — sweet home. The Dulcis Domus Café is now in your hands to turn into a sweet home for the employees, for the customers, and for you. This is my last gift to you — a new, strange, wonderful, and magical home.

Good luck, Arlissa! I can’t wait to see how you and the café — the two loves I left behind — will grow together in the years to come.

Nagmamahal, Aminta.


End file.
